Hefei, capital of Anhui Province in east China, has recently become a member of the World Technopolis Association (WTA), an organization started in 1998 to promote technological transfers between member cities.

With a population of 1.66 million, Hefei boasts 28 higher education institutions and 190 scientific research bodies, including the well-known China University of Science and Technology. The city also has key institutes under the Chinese Academy of Sciences and several national laboratories.

The WTA currently has 37 cities and 16 countries and regions as members. Hefei is the third Chinese city to join the organization. Nanjing, in Jiangsu Province, and Hsinchu in Taiwan are already its members.